


hades dad moments

by beanplague



Category: Hades (Video Game 2018)
Genre: Family Bonding, Multi, the megthanzag is more of a background factor., there is also hades/persephone and mentioned persephone/nyx, which isn't tagged bc it's just mentioned. but it's there!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-26
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-17 13:00:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,198
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29717532
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beanplague/pseuds/beanplague
Summary: Imperious God of the Underworld, Hades, deigns to have a long overdue conversation with his impetuous son. Thus begins a mythic instance of "family bonding."[Hades asks Zagreus about his relationships—and his intentions, going forward—and reveals a bit about his own. Y'all ever get a moment of emotional vulnerability from a distant father figure? It's weird as all hell.]
Relationships: Hades & Zagreus (Hades Video Game), Megaera/Thanatos/Zagreus (Hades Video Game)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 87





	hades dad moments

Zagreus is called to the front desk. His father looks as if he’d like to be anywhere but sitting at it.

“Before you answer this with any snark,  _ boy _ —” Hades stops himself, quickly amending, “Zagreus. Know it was your mother who brought this issue to my attention.”

“That’s a poor start to a conversation.”

“It appears you’ve begun a relationship with the fury Megaera.” Oh. This was not the conversation Zagreus was expecting. He was expecting something more along the lines of— _ you’re spending quite a lot of money on furniture _ or  _ your portrait of Aphrodite could use some clothes _ .  _ It appears you’ve begun a relationship with Meg _ is the last thing on his list, closely followed by the next statement. “Thanatos, as well.”

“Oh. Well. Yes.” Off his rhythm, Zagreus responds in several half-phrases. He gains his footing again. “Any reason for your sudden interest in my personal life? I don’t suppose this will be the point where you sit me down for any kind of  _ talk _ —”

“Nothing of the sort. If you need advice of that kind, speak to Achilles. Or Nyx.” Hades sighs. “Your mother asked me to do this.”

“So you’ve said.”

“What are your…  _ intentions _ , with these relationships?”

Zagreus blanches. This is his worst fear. His father. Talking about his relationships. Talking about those relationships in the main hall. Talking about his relationships  _ with his father in the main hall. _ Despite everything, including Zagreus’s complete mortification, Hades continues.

“Do you intend to make Megaera your wife, one day? Or Thanatos your husband?” he asks. “I have no strong feelings on either choice—or both, should you choose to make your Olympian family proud—but Persephone says it’s important for me to ask you about it. Because you are my son. And I am your father.”

“And sons and fathers… talk about these things?”

“Allegedly. My own father did no such thing, though I provide you plenty of luxuries he would never dream of.”

“My official job is getting murdered by your underlings.”

“Do you think the Titans ever thought to employ us?”

“Oh, so I should be  _ so _ grateful that we’ve reached even this point—”

“Silence. This argument never goes anywhere, and I am quashing it preemptively.” Damn it. Zagreus was hoping the conversation might veer off course. “Your courtship will inevitably be a source of spectacle. And, in the case of both suitors, a distraction from their jobs.”

“No more distracting than Mother is to you, I hope.”

“Your mother does not personally fly down from her post to help me defeat you in battle.”

“I’m sure she would if you asked.”

“I am entirely capable of besting you on my own, Zagreus.”

“I resent that! I’ve been visiting the surface quite a bit, these last few attempts.”

“Are you trying to upset me?”

“Could you tell? I  _ really _ would like us not to be having this conversation,” Zagreus says. “Can’t we lean on our usual dynamic? Where I make charmingly disrespectful statements and you get irrationally angry? Or—you know—I could just leave? That could be good. I could do that!”

“No, no. I’m beginning to think it may be a good time to talk about this—”

“Well, could we do it sometime else? When we  _ aren’t _ in front of everyone?”

Hades blinks. He leans to the side, taking a look at the long line of shades before him. silently observing. Incredibly nosy, this lot.

“That would be fine.” Hades waves to dismiss him. “To your chambers. We’ll speak of this sometime else.”

Zagreus retreats to his chambers and immediately begins another escape attempt. Some dying might help him erase the memory of this odd interaction.

* * *

“This should be better,” Hades says as Zagreus emerges from the doorway to the surface. Zagreus considers walking back through it. “Is this private enough for you?”

“Do we  _ have _ to talk about this?”

“Yes. Your mother did criticize my decision to bring the subject up publicly, but she says it is a ‘good step’ for us.” God. He isn’t burning up his stupid cloak. They can’t even try to kill each other as a distraction. “So, what are your intentions with these partners?”

“I can’t believe we’re doing this.” Zagreus groans. Hades rolls his eyes. They are like two children when they talk to each other. “I don’t  _ have _ any intentions, Father. I just— _ we’re _ just, you know, together. Right now, at least. And hopefully for a long time.”

"That’s fine enough, but what about later?” asks Hades. “That they are content to share your affections is good for now. Will they always be?”

Zagreus dismisses this outright. “I think they like each other as much as they do me. Sometimes more.”

“That seems apt,” Hades nods. “They’ve known one another for eons. Do you ever feel a bit lost with them, knowing that?”

“Well, yes.” Zagreus’s brow furrows. “Why do you ask?”

“Persephone tells me she often felt that way when our relationship began.” He’s silent for a moment. “I have only been in such a relationship with her, but she and Nyx once had a long and storied connection.”

_ "Oh _ —”

“Now that she’s returned, those two might reignite their flame.” Hades looks uncomfortable, talking about himself. Still, he persists. “Our relationship is not dissimilar to yours. And so I know it can be… challenging. And you are free to speak to me of it.”

“Well. I appreciate it,” Zagreus says, feeling extremely uncomfortable as well. “I’m not going to do that.”

“Thank you.”

_ That  _ makes Zagreus laugh. And Hades never does—unless taunting someone, usually Zagreus—but he seems more relaxed. Zagreus looks up at Hades. His father. Immortal God-King of the Underworld. Apparently, sometimes insecure about his place as a husband. It feels too… average, of him. Even when Zagreus hated him—or thought he did—he never saw him as anything but a figure larger than life itself. Imposing in every way. It’s odd, to look at him and see a person. Zagreus doubts he’ll ever be capable of it.

“I want to be with the two of them forever. Don’t tell them that, but it’s true,” he says. “Meg and Than, they make me… happy, you know?”

Hades nods.

“I doubt marriage will come up anytime in the next few millennia, but I don’t think I want something with one of them that I wouldn’t have with the other.” He pauses. “I don’t know that Meg would want that, even. Than, maybe. But the two of them are very focused on their careers.”

“Time can have unexpected consequences,” Hades says. “I am glad we’ve squared this out. Now we can get to killing each other.” He lifts his cape off his shoulders. It burns with the cool wind. As he plants his spear in the ground, there seems to be some hesitation. “And. Zagreus.”

Zagreus raises an eyebrow. “Yes?”

“You’ll tell me if either of them mistreats you, yes?” asks Hades. “Obviously they wouldn’t. But if they did, you’d tell me? Or your mother?”

For once, Zagreus feels like someone with a father. “Yeah. Yes. I would.”

“Excellent. Now, let’s see if you can outpace my spear, boy.”

**Author's Note:**

> yo. i plan to write more impressive hades fic in the future, but this was a drabble i ended up writing after a month long depression-break from writing anything at all. it was fun! and good practice for figuring out their voices, i think. hope it was an enjoyable read.


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